Crinkle Crags from Langdale

It's half term and we're in the Lakes for a week. This is my first blogged hike :-)

Tuesday's hike was the Crinkle Crags from Langdale - a route we were weathered off in October, turning back at Great Knott due to strong winds and heavy snow. 

Starting from the National Trust car park (free for NT members) next to the Old Dungeon Ghyll hotel (NY286060) we took the road up to the farm at Stool End (NY276056) and continued west up the track into Oxendale. We disregarded the path to the right leading up to The Band (our planned return route) and when the path forked again (NY271052) we crossed the stream using the footbridge and started a diagonal ascent south towards Browney Gill. 

The path up Browney Gill is well made, albeit steep with a few challenging bits. We crossed the snowline somewhere near the 300m contour, giving us hard packed snow and ice to contend with. Four season boots for me and micro spikes for Kirsty saw us safely up to Red Tarn for lunch part 1 at the path junction (NY266039). 

Turning west, our path continued to ascend towards Great Knott. As we climbed, a number of superb views presented themselves. A picture speaks a thousand words so I will let the photographs speak for themselves.

Red Tarn and Wetherlam from the path towards Great Knott

Pike o Blisco and Red Tarn from near Great Knott

Wetherlam and The Old Man of Coniston from near Great Knott

Langdale from the first Crinkle

Approaching the Crinkles, the path swings northwards. We were soon into the sequence of climbs and descents that takes you over the five tops that make up the Crinkle Crags. To quote Alf Wainwright: 

"This ridge is a fell-walker's delight. A constantly changing scene, beautiful and dramatic views, fine situations and an interesting course throughout make this a walk to remember" 

Ascending the second Crinkle heading northwards involves climbing the "Bad Step" (NY249047) - a scramble with a few challenging moves to gain good hand and footholds. Again, to quote Alf: 

"The Bad Step is the most difficult obstacle met on any of the regular walkers' paths in Lakeland" 

Thankfully for us in winter conditions, the Bad Step was free of ice and snow for my scramble up and the cut away route to the west easy to take by following the footsteps of others by Kirsty.

We had lunch part 2 on Long Top, just to the west of the main route, where we could soak up the fine views of Sca Fell and Scafell Pike whilst enjoying sandwiches, jelly babies and coffee.

The Scafells and Bow Fell panorama

Moving northwards over the remaining Crinkles and descending towards Three Tarns (NY248060) saw the path covered by deep, hard packed snow. Crampons on, this posed no problems but care would have been needed with naked boots. Our arrival at Three Tarns was marked by the crisscrossing footprints of others as the tarns must have been iced up and covered over by snow - a wet surprise for someone off route?! 

Bow Fell and the Three Tarns saddle panorama

Turning east at Three Tarns, we descended The Band, an uneventful descent all the way back to the farm at Stool End. From there, it was a saunter along the road back to the Old Dungeon Ghyll, where a pint of something pleasant awaited us ;-) 

Distance: 12.5 km or 8.5 miles
Ascent: 860 m or 2,900 ft
Time taken: 6:45 (we stopped lots!)